Sawgrass Village Update: Final stages of construction

ELM-designed Sawgrass Village redevelopment expected to be complete in time for The Players Championship in May

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – Construction at the ELM planned and designed Sawgrass Village is in its final stages and is expected to wrap up the majority in time to host visitors of The Players golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass in early May.

Phase two of Sawgrass Village’s redevelopment began construction in early 2015 with the demolition of several office buildings and site work enhancements on Village Main Street. The demolition of the office buildings and the lakefront shops made way for a new lakefront restaurant, recently announced as Nona Blue Modern Tavern, and new retail buildings.

The new Aqua Grill and retail “Building E” were both completed in the fall of 2015. Aqua Grill, a 5,000-square-foot lakefront restaurant, opened in its new location in October, the same month that interior tenant buildouts began in Building E.

Pineapple Post became the first tenant open for business in Building E and was joined in early 2016 by J. Turner & Company, a locally owned furniture and home accessories boutique located on the corner of the Village Main Street building across from Caffé Andiamo. Another 12,000 square feet of tenant construction is presently underway.

Jacksonville-based ELM | Ervin Lovett Miller planning, architecture and landscape architecture firm has taken the Sawgrass Village redevelopment project from its initial planning, programming and design phases through construction documents and currently construction administration. Once finished, the transformation of Sawgrass Village to a pedestrian-rich retail, dining, social, and civic amenity for Ponte Vedra Beach residents will be a retail shopping experience for the community to enjoy.

“Carrying this project from its initial concept through all phases of design and construction has really allowed our planners, architects and designers to successfully tie in each component that makes Sawgrass Village a unique destination. In conjunction with a sophisticated development team, we crafted a master plan that thoughtfully connects every element, including boutique retail, restaurant, civic space, Publix, CVS, and all of the parking and infrastructure to support it,” said Russell Ervin, ELM principal and lead designer on the project.

The project team expects construction to be complete by summer of 2016 on the more than 25,000 combined square feet of retail space in the two final retail buildings, as well as Nona Blue Modern Tavern situated across Front Street from these buildings.

In early 2016, construction commenced on Nona Blue, a “modern tavern” founded by PGA TOUR Golfer Graeme McDowell and his operating partner. The design of Nona Blue’s lakefront restaurant will have a lively atmosphere along with a comfortable neighborhood tavern feeling. Nona Blue is expected to be open for business by The Players in May.

Sawgrass Village’s open park space will be built into the heart of the project adjacent to Nona Blue and the lakefront facing Florida State Road A1A.

“This village green is positioned in the center of Sawgrass Village, providing an important gathering space. We expect all of Ponte Vedra Beach to adopt this space and anticipate that it will become a popular venue complementing the overall redevelopment,” said Steve Lovett, ELM principal.

Sawgrass Village has a unique location centrally located in Ponte Vedra Beach at the entrance to the Sawgrass Marriott, a 522-room resort and conference center, along with being the “Front Door” of the PGA Tour and The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, both of which have become major international destinations.